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When I first started my social media sites as a registered dietitian in order to start making a name for myself in the nutrition world, I made so many connections with other registered dietitians out there! I wanted to do something that brought us all together. All registered dietitians are so different (you will see that with the responses to all my questions) BUT one thing they all have in common is a love of food and a passion to help people. I asked these dietitians some in-depth questions and they provided me with amazing and honest responses. There are a few parts to this project because I got so much interest (I was so surprised!) and so many responses, SO stay tuned.

1. ​Anne Elizabeth Cundiff.

Meet Anne Elizabeth Cundiff. She is an author, a podcaster, and supermarket dietitian. Anne has her CDR Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management and has completed her certificate in wellness coaching. Anne has so much nutrition knowledge and loves to help people achieve their health goals.

1. Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living? What do you love to do for fun? I am currently residing in Des Moines, Iowa and working as a retail dietitian (which I love) as well as being an author, podcaster and speaker. I love writing, this is kind of one of my things I do for fun, which turned into a book! I love to travel and experience new places and people, which I have combined with writing and podcasting. I get to do all of it on my adventures.

2. How did you know you wanted to be a dietitian? What made you fall in love with nutrition?I had no clue I wanted to be a dietitian. I took Nutrition 101 while I was Pre-Med in college and it was like someone slapped me during a particular class on macronutrients to realize this was my calling. I fell in love with nutrition because we all eat and what we eat can influence our health. Preventative medicine with food and nutrition is where it is at instead of sick medicine.

3. Where did you go to school? Where did you do your internship or coordinated program? I did my undergrad at Creighton University, degree in Biology/Spanish, Didactic at University of Nebraska-Omaha and internship with Iowa State University.

4. What was your biggest struggle in becoming a dietitian? My undergraduate school did not have a dietetic program, so I graduated and did 2 more years of didactic work. At the time, I also really had to navigate becoming an RD alone because there was not the resources and mentors there are today. It was a long haul, but worth it.

5. For all of our RD2Bs out there, how long did you study for the RD exam and how hard did you think it was? I studied for the exam for about 3 months of and on with the last month studying 1-2 hours everyday. I felt I was very prepared for the exam with my internship and I really studied the RD in a Flash, flash cards. I do well with flash cards, so it was a great study tool for me. A test is a test and I will never say a test is easy, but I do recommend studying consistently before you take it. I do remember a lot of foodservice questions on my exam.

6. In your current role as a dietitian, what keeps you motivated? What skills do you consider to be essential in this field?Being a dietitian is hard work because we usually take on way too much. You cannot be everything to everyone. I think it is essential to remember that and make sure you don't burn yourself out. I also think it is essential to have a philosophy about what type of dietitian AND person you. Then you will practice dietetics based on your set of beliefs and it helps define what you will and won't do.

I am motivated by variety, I like to do something different everyday, so that is how I set up my schedule. I am also very motivated by other dietitians and the greatness each of them brings to the table. That is why I do my podcast, so I can learn about the great things other RD's are doing and share that with the world.

7. What is your biggest nutrition pet peeve?Probably how people get their nutrition/health advice from TV, magazines, etc and not really knowing if it is a sounds source/RD. Most of the questions I get start like "I saw this on TV this week..."

8. What is the number one thing you recommend to people in terms of nutrition advice/education?I always find out where they are in their wellness journey and that is how I determine what advice is given. I find that a lot of people ask for advice, but really they are not ready for it. It is all about the journey and it is a VERY personal journey. I ask questions and meet them where they are at when I offer advice.

9. I obviously have to ask, what is your favorite food? What is your least favorite food?My favorite food is a recipe my Dad would make, Chicken Kiev. Instead of butter in the inside of the chicken, he would put cheese. Sooo good! My least favorite food is corn. I love everything made from corn: corn tortillas, corn bread, popcorn but not kernels of corn.

10. When thinking about nutrition, what has changed the most since you became a dietitian?Food allergies and GI nutrition. When I became a dietitian, I barely had any education on Celiac Disease or gluten free diets. Now, there are so many different food allergies, it is amazing. GI nutrition is also very interesting with IBS as a common diagnosis from MD's, finding there is more to the equation especially the microbiome.

11. Who is your biggest influence or motivation in life? It can be anyone.I am always influence, inspired and motivated by other registered dietitians. We do not give ourselves enough credit as professionals. Which is why I want to share with the world why we are so awesome.

12. How can people contact you? Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, blog?I am on Facebook @anneelizabeth, Instagram and Twitter @anneelizabethrd My website is anneelizabethrd.com, where my book and blog is. Also, my podcast is Conversations with Anne Elizabeth and can be found on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-anne-elizabeth/id1161863695?mt=2

2. ​Andy De Santis.

Next up is Andy De Santis! He is a registered dietitian in Canada. Andy has a very successful blog and is a nutrition expert! He knows that there is no quick fix to becoming healthy. Andy will show you the nutrition ropes and provide you with all the help you need to reach your diet, nutrition and weight loss goals.

1. Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living? What do you love to do for fun? Well, my name is Andy and I am registered dietitian in private practice as well as a nutrition writer/blogger. I live in Toronto, Canada and besides eating, soccer is what I do for fun.

2. How did you know you wanted to be a dietitian? What made you fall in love with nutrition? I was able to put my life in a different direction when I started eating healthier and I knew that I wanted to make a career out of it and help others.

3. Where did you go to school? Where did you do your internship or coordinated program? I went to school in my hometown ( University of Toronto) and completed my internship at various institutions ( Toronto Western Hospital, Canadian Diabetes Association, Canadian Sugar Insitute)

4. What was your biggest struggle in becoming a dietitian? Obviously getting into an internship/program is challenging. Once I was in, my clinical family health team rotation was the hardest and most rewarding 6 weeks of the whole process.

5. For all of our RD2Bs out there, how long did you study for the RD exam and how hard did you think it was? I studied for about a week prior, it honestly was not that hard

6. In your current role as a dietitian, what keeps you motivated? What skills do you consider to be essential in this field?Every single client motivates me. They all have unique needs and motivations and helping them is what drives me. Being a writer as well, knowing that people embrace my work and my content is a great source of motivation. What is the most important skill for a dietitian? Probably listening.

You need to be a good listener in order to truly engage clients.

7. What is your biggest nutrition pet peeve? Fad diets and scare tactics really piss me off, which is why I write about them so much

8. What is the number one thing you recommend to people in terms of nutrition advice/education? Eat more plants, less animals. There is so much more, but this is a very important and basic consideration.

9. I obviously have to ask, what is your favorite food? What is your least favorite food?That’s a tough one.. I would say kale both because I love it and it is so good for me.Least favourite food? That’s tough... I don’t love cheese or beans to be honest!

10. When thinking about nutrition, what has changed the most since you became a dietitian? I am much more open minded now and I’ve expanded my cooking skills which has allowed me to better understand the types of recipes and dishes the average person is looking to enjoy.

11. Who is your biggest influence or motivation in life? It can be anyone. Making my parents proud is probably my #1 motivation.

3. Kirsten.

Let’s learn about Kirsten. Kirsten has been a registered dietitian for 13 years. She has a blog with many amazing recipes and posts about nutrition trends. Kirsten helps provide amazing nutrition information for active individuals.

1. Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living? What do you love to do for fun? I'm originally from Germany (parents both German, grew up there). We moved to the States when I was 13 (for my dad's job). Spent high school years in the Chicago 'burbs, then went south really fast because I do NOT like the cold! I did my undergrad at the University of Florida (BS in Human Nutrition & Dietetics) and then grad school also at UF (Master of Public Health). I did my internship at the Augusta Area Dietetic Internship (AADI) in Augusta, GA.

I worked in commercial nutrition for a few years; then I went into corporate wellness (I ran the corporate wellness programs for 2 large power utilities, first in Florida, then here in the Charlotte area after my husband and I moved up here). Once our oldest was born, I stayed home with the kids (3 kids total). About 4 years ago I started helping my husband build his software and IT consulting business, and about a year ago I was able to exit that role (business is going well, yay!) and go back to my passion. I'm in the process of building my private consulting practice which will focus on wellness and sports nutrition.

I love running (I run half marathons mostly but have also done full) and lifting (I've weight trained since I was 16). So my "spare" time is filled with fitness: running, lifting, yoga.

2. How did you know you wanted to be a dietitian? What made you fall in love with nutrition? I had a terrible track coach in high school who gave crappy advise to a bunch of pubescent girls. We all ended up with (nutrition-related) injuries. After I quit the track team I thought "there has to be a better way." I started reading up on nutrition (I was 17?) and came across Nancy Clark's sports nutrition book. The rest is history! I knew what I was going to be/do.

3. Where did you go to school? Where did you do your internship or coordinated program? See question 1.

4. What was your biggest struggle in becoming a dietitian? Thankfully I had no real struggles on the academic side - everything kind of fell into place. I got a great Graduate Assistantship at the UF Dept of Rec Sports (I worked there during undergrad), so I delayed my internship by 2 years to get my Masters first. I got matched to my first choice internship (and ended up meeting my husband the second day in Augusta, so major bonus!). My biggest struggle was probably convincing my parents that "Registered Dietitian" was a "real" job. Haha!

5. For all of our RD2Bs out there, how long did you study for the RD exam and how hard did you think it was? I followed one of the "canned" study programs and got some notes from other RDs who took the exam recently. I finished my internship in early May and took the exam in December. I'd say I didn't start the "hard core" studying until 3 months before. Keeping in mind that it's been 12.5 years since I took the exam, I'd say it was fair and what I expected.

6. In your current role as a dietitian, what keeps you motivated? What skills do you consider to be essential in this field? I had a good amount of time off from being in the thick of things, and I'm grateful to be in a position where I could evaluate exactly what I wanted to invest my time and energy in. While helping my husband build his company, I gave some thought to the idea of not going back to nutrition. When I first quick working after the kids were born, wellness and sports nutrition was a struggle. Things were still very disease-oriented, and clinical dietetics isn't for me. I was frustrated with the lack of visibility of our expert knowledge. Re-entering the field in the last year to year and a half has re-motivated me tremendously. It's awesome to see how much the profession has grown, how much the rebranding of the "American Dietetic Association" to the Academy has changed our public perception, and how much ground we have gained in the media, in corporations, in the prevention realm. It's really cool to see.

Essential skills: self-motivation and drive! There won't be an automatic "in" in many businesses/settings. You need to be able to self-promote. Also, confidence in your knowledge and skill is a must. You ARE the subject matter expert. Don't let anyone derail you from that.

8. What is the number one thing you recommend to people in terms of nutrition advice/education? Are we talking about future RDs here? I'd say spend time researching both the didactic program you are entering, as well as internships when the time comes. GO to the interviews if possible. See the facility and meet the director. Don't just choose an internship based on it being the shortest or the closest to home or whatever. This is the program that will prepare you to practice your profession. Make sure it meets the criteria.

Also, while still in college: volunteer your time for your professors who are doing research. Not only does it look great on internship applications, but your professor will know you. S/he will be a help with letters of recommendation, future job positions, and any other connections/questions you may need in the future.

9. I obviously have to ask, what is your favorite food? What is your least favorite food? Favorite: rice & beans, followed closely by chocolate. Least favorite: I can't stand kale. I don't care about its benefits - you will never find me eating it.

10. When thinking about nutrition, what has changed the most since you became a dietitian? See question 6! Our standing in the public's eyes, and our recognition as the subject matter expert. Also, the influence of social media! There was no social media when I became a RD!

11. Who is your biggest influence or motivation in life? It can be anyone. My husband. I know that sounds super cheesy, but he is the most driven, self-assured, and motivated person I know. He is a natural-born entrepreneur and has started and sold 3 companies since I've known him. I'm not a natural risk taker, and without his support and encouragement, I'd second guess a lot of things.

4. Becky.

​Becky is a registered dietitian in Connecticut just like me! She is helping people in the corporate world to make healthier choices at quick service restaurants. Becky is thriving in her current dietitian role but also wants to start blogging.

1. Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living? What do you love to do for fun?I was born in Niantic, CT and can't seem to leave this beautiful place. I still live on Long Island Sound 27 years later, soaking up all the sunrises, low tides, and local, shoreline hot spots I can. I am a corporate RD for Subway World Headquarters in Milford. For fun I love to hike, run, read, cook and go to the beach with friends.

2. How did you know you wanted to be a dietitian? What made you fall in love with nutrition? I fell in love with nutrition, simply because I love food (as corny as that is). I think the moment I *knew* was my junior year in high school. I was infatuated with the science of how the food I ate actually impacted my performance in sports. By simply switching my pre-game snack from a twix bar to a PB&J, I was able to run faster in lacrosse and focus better as a diver on the swim team. I was 6th in the state for diving that year (thanks to those PB&J's!). As I started to job shadow different areas in health sciences (PT, OT and other therapies), my gut kept telling me to go with nutrition. So honestly, I just went with it!

3. Where did you go to school? Where did you do your internship or coordinated program? I went to UConn for my undergrad years and then University at Buffalo for my Master's & dietetic internship. I can not say enough wonderful things about my MS/Internship experience. I was immersed in all areas of nutrition but also had the opportunity to focus a lot of my time on sports nutrition. I worked in the Sports Nutrition department with all athletes, and even had the chance to travel with the football team for away games (SO cool!).

4. What was your biggest struggle in becoming a dietitian? My biggest struggle of becoming a RD was not getting accepted into an internship on my first try. *Bummed* does not even begin to describe the feelings I felt on that Match Day. After a few days of feeling sorry for myself, I decided to turn that energy into motivation to get back out there and gain even more experience. I was working full time as a medical assistant and started volunteering any extra hour on nights and weekends that I had. I also reached out to interns that were currently in programs to gain insight on their experience. That helped me weed out programs I thought I was interested in and also helped me decide how to successfully "rank" my DI choices the following year. I ranked UBuff as my #1 and was accepted. Everything truly falls into place, exactly as it should.

5. For all of our RD2Bs out there, how long did you study for the RD exam and how hard did you think it was? I studied for a solid 2 months for probably 25-30 hours a week (a couple hours a day). As a requirement for my DI, I took a Jean Inman course. I would strongly suggest purchasing her course. Her handbook became my Bible. I didn't study anything else-- the $$ is SO worth the course. It also came with the audio version of the entire course so you could listen to her over and over, which was especially helpful for topics I didn't feel 100% confident about. I thought the exam was pretty tough-- but fair. I think the experience gained in the DI plus the review of all topics in the Jean Inman course was more than enough.

6. In your current role as a dietitian, what keeps you motivated? What skills do you consider to be essential in this field? My role as a corporate dietitian has been very different than any of my experiences in past employment and the DI. Learning a completely new outlet for RDs has been motivating in itself. I continue to stay motivated by the positive environment I work in. As a company, we strive to be the healthiest and freshest quick service restaurant and honestly, that mindset trickles down to headquarters. In addition to my work on the menus, I am responsible for a lot of company wellness programs. I have recently started a weekly "drop-in" hour, where employees are welcome to stop by and ask nutrition-related questions. I sincerely enjoy conversing with coworkers and learning about their lives and how I can help them.

8. What is the number one thing you recommend to people in terms of nutrition advice/education? Everything in moderation. It is 100% possible to eat all your favorite foods, as long as the portions are in check and it is not all the time. Hydration, portion sizes and moderation. Sorry I know you asked for one but I feel like these go together!

9. obviously have to ask, what is your favorite food? What is your least favorite food? Favorite: Lobster (oysters, mussels or clams-- really any kind of seafood!) Least favorite: Ham (but I still love bacon hehe)10. When thinking about nutrition, what has changed the most since you became a dietitian? I only recently became a RD, so probably the biggest changes that impact my work are the nutrition fact label changes and the menu labeling laws for chain restaurants.

11. Who is your biggest influence or motivation in life? It can be anyone. My mom :) She's a widow and has been a single mom for the past 13 years. She is my hero and can literally do anything.

12. How can people contact you? Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, blog?As part of my 2017 resolutions, I have only recently started my IG and twitter (both are @wanabfoodie). So for now, I can be contacted through those social outlets or my email, wanabfoodie@gmail.com I have been working on a blog so *stay tuned* for more.

5. Zeina Khawam.

Zeina Khawam is from Canada, like Andy! She is a registered dietitian working to help people achieve a healthy lifestyle. Her blog is filled with recipes, healthy eating tips and fitness information. Zeina is dedicated to making sure that people receive honest and accurate nutrition facts.

1. Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living? What do you love to do for fun? Hi, I’m Zeina Khawam a registered dietitian working in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I have been in private practice from the start and wouldn’t want it any other way. I have been doing this for about 3 years, starting with an office in a local gym. I now have a few additional offices scattered around the city, including in a yoga studio and physiotherapy clinic.

As a dietitian, fun time includes… well, food! Cooking and eating would be my biggest and favorite hobbies.

2. How did you know you wanted to be a dietitian? What made you fall in love with nutrition? I always loved health and food, but never thought of making a career out of it. I started as a biochemist, but quickly realized I needed a more personal line of work. I need to see that I am making a difference in people’s lives, even if it’s just introducing them to a new food!

3. Where did you go to school? Where did you do your internship or coordinated program? Living in Montreal, I did my schooling at McGill University. Internships are part of the program and I have done some in hospitals, CLSCs (local community service center), schools, and nursing home.

4. What was your biggest struggle in becoming a dietitian?Hard to say, I loved it so much that it didn’t seem hard at all! I would say the biggest struggle is convincing people of our value, whether with doctors in a public setting or potential clients in the private sector.

5. For all of our RD2Bs out there, how long did you study for the RD exam and how hard did you think it was?No exam here in Quebec!

6. In your current role as a dietitian, what keeps you motivated? What skills do you consider to be essential in this field?I love seeing satisfied (and unsatisfied customers). Seeing someone regain a healthy relationship with food and finally finding success after years of battle keeps me going. With the unsatisfied customers, I can see what worked and what didn’t, which makes me want to improve my services even more!

You definitely have to be ambitious and take initiative in this field. Clients don’t magically appear and there is a lot of competition with “health and nutrition consultants” giving false information out there. So you have to be able to be convincing without appearing frustrated or negative!You also have to keep up with the ever changing nutrition information!

8. What is the number one thing you recommend to people in terms of nutrition advice/education? Love the food you are eating! The more see food as your friend and not your enemy, the easier it will be to reach your goal!9. I obviously have to ask, what is your favorite food? What is your least favorite food? Favorite: Wood-fired pizzaLeast Favorite: Blue cheese10. When thinking about nutrition, what has changed the most since you became a dietitian? Being flexible. I used to be concerned about sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats in foods, but now realize that our relationship with food is a bigger issue. Nutrition is all about compromise, enjoying your food and eating for the right reasons (hunger). A lot of problems arise from the way we eat and why we eat (stress, boredom, etc.). If we can tackle that, we’re in business!

11. Who is your biggest influence or motivation in life? It can be anyone. In terms of dietitians, Abbey Sharp. She makes nutrition fun while still be informative. In life in general, my mom (duh!)

6. Tracie Blair.

Tracie Blair is the next RD up at bat and the last RD included in part one! Tracy provides nutrition counseling to anyone seeking nutrition advice. She has a masters degree in sports nutrition. Tracy says that she loves to eat and wants to help others who love to eat as well!

1. Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living? What do you love to do for fun? Hello! My name is Tracie Blair and I’m from all up and down Central USA. We moved constantly while I was growing up but I am currently located just south of Dallas, TX for now. I am a renal Dietitian and I do some consulting on the side. I love to workout, hang out with my dogs and I read all the time.

2. How did you know you wanted to be a dietitian? What made you fall in love with nutrition? I was a runner in high school and college. And I was always trying to ‘eat to compete’. But it wasn’t until I had a severe allergic reaction on a run while a freshman in college that I even found out what a dietitian was. Turns out I am allergic to certain foods only if I eat them and exercise (exercise-induced anaphylaxis), so I went to my professor and told her I wanted to study what causes this – she told me to look into dietetics… and here I am!

3. Where did you go to school? Where did you do your internship or coordinated program? I completed my bachelors in dietetics at Henderson State University in Arkansas (highly recommend that school). And I went on to get my Masters in Sports Nutrition while completing my Internship at Texas A&M University.

4. What was your biggest struggle in becoming a dietitian? The constant influx and change in information. Getting my masters really opened my eyes to this. You really have to learn to see through trends and all the research studies to be able to give sound and realistic guidance.

5. For all of our RD2Bs out there, how long did you study for the RD exam and how hard did you think it was? Ha.. I didn’t take my exam as soon as I finished my internship… and I really wish I would have. I spent 6 more months completing my master’s degree and then I studied for about a month and I actually FAILED my first exam. I studied intensely for the next two months and passed the second time around.

6. In your current role as a dietitian, what keeps you motivated? What skills do you consider to be essential in this field?My patients and co-workers keep me motivated. In dialysis the patients show up and just sit… I like to keep them occupied and try to give them something to look forward to. I think it is very important for a dietitian to stay positive and to keep things interesting for patients/clients. Make your passion contagious.

7. What is your biggest nutrition pet peeve? SO MANY. J But honestly, I love watching people online getting healthier and coaching others (with or without a degree) but I hate it when I am approached to become a salesman for whatever they’re selling.

8. What is the number one thing you recommend to people in terms of nutrition advice/education? Nutrition isn’t set in stone! Be flexible and keep an open mind

9. I obviously have to ask, what is your favorite food? What is your least favorite food?I love MEAT, especially rotisserie chicken. And I hate refried beans with a passion

10. When thinking about nutrition, what has changed the most since you became a dietitian? When I started learning about nutrition… fat was the enemy. It’s now something I preach to eat daily! FAT FAT FAT

11. Who is your biggest influence or motivation in life? It can be anyone. Myself. I started all of this to keep myself from dying (literally). And I constantly have had to find my inner motivation to get as far as I’ve come.. because I have tried throwing in the towel a few times.

12. How can people contact you? Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, blog? I prefer Instagram because that’s the most public. TB_the_sports_RD. I also have a blog I don’t do to well at keeping up to date but I’m working on that! Healthypancakes.org